Day in the Life {January 2014}

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And, it’s back! Apparently Real Life is what you want most, so the monthly Day in the Life posts are staying. Want to see something crazy? Here are the DITL posts from 2013. Check out January 2013. Who is that BABY girl?! (Also, if you’re a blogger, would you be interested in a monthly DITL link up? We could have a hashtag and everything! Let me know!)

Yesterday started blurry early as I scooped the squawking Miss 1 out of her crib and tossed her in our bed to get another hour or two of sleep. I rolled out at 7 to get breakfast and get my school kids off for the day.

Anyone else wake up thinking of random tasks that need to be done rightthisveryminute? Before even walking in the kitchen, I quick sent a Facebook message and email to my Azure group reminding them of order day, then peeled myself off of the computer before heading down a rabbit trail.

7:15 ~ Made some scrambled eggs with sausage and toast for my crew, and while that was cooking, put away the clean dishes from the sink. (Do you dry and put away immediately? Kudos! We usually air dry, but inevitably, someone who doesn’t live here adds a dirty dish to my clean dishes. I should probably put away immediately…) In the middle of my tasks, this little rug-rat wandered in. I tend to forgive her for the lack of sleep when I see that smile.

By 7:30 everyone’s up begging to eat right now, as well they should because they head out the door at 7:50.

Notice the, um, extra furniture and randomness on the wall? That’s what happens when your basement storage has to move upstairs for a few months. You should see the other side of the room! (Or not.)

7:45 ~ Big kids gathered their things and headed out the door, after last-minute parent-teacher conference confirmation slip signing (love that our conferences are mid-nine weeks and don’t wait until the end), and checking weather.com for the high temps. We had a giggle over the fact that Mommy used to either 1) call time and temp or 2) try to catch the forecast on TV “back in the old days.” Oy.

Have I mentioned that I am so thankful for our location and that my kids can get out the door and walk to school on their own?!

7:55 ~ Bigs gone for the day, littles finished up their breakfast, so I start cooking mine. Well, I turned the skillet on, anyway. Mr. 3 needed to use the bathroom and get dressed, I had to take the ladder down in the boys’ room, then chased both kids out of the girls’ room, where the ladder was still up.

8:00 ~ I got the kids settled in the living room, and went back to my breakfast. When I heard the front door open, I didn’t even look. Construction crew is back! When I did eventually look, the plumber was holding Miss 1. Hard to resist a wee “I hold you?”

8:08 ~ Orange thief. “I have to get big and strong, Mom!” Oh. Well, then. Have at it.

9:10 ~ Got the dishwasher going, washed other dishes, wiped the table and counter tops, picked up lids off of the floor.

9:40 ~ Got the kids set up with a game (Launch Across) in the boys’ room, and sat down to knock out some virtual assistant emails. Forty-five interruptions and continual starting and stopping of the stopwatch later, I had logged about an hour and a half before Lance got home for lunch.

Had to pull Miss 1 inside multiple times. She walks right out the door with the crew and their tools. (FYI ~ Keeping these kids safe and out of the way during this project has pretty much been a full time job. 😉 )

“Uh-ohhhhh!” she grunts while she yanks the safety gate down for the 5th time today.

11:30 ~ Fixed Lance a taco salad for lunch, and grabbed the kids some apples and cheese. They were (surprisingly!) content playing after he left, so I logged another hour of computer work.

12:45 ~ When our crew took a lunch break, Mr. 3 wanted to “check out the basement.” So we did.

Closet. Monkey bars. Whatever.

The kids are SO excited about their new closets, and I am incredibly jealous.

1:00 ~ Nap time! Woo-hoo! Sometimes it’s a struggle, but both kids went down easily today. Miss 1 does better if I lay down with her in our bed until she falls asleep. Sometimes I fall asleep before she does, but not today! Five minutes, she’s out, I’m up to fix lunch in peace and quiet.

1:15 ~ Sat down with my lunch and Mr. 3 came in needing something. So much for easy!

Got him settled, ate my apples and leftovers (or something, I really can’t remember what I ate!) and got back to work.

2:30 ~ Posted on Facebook that I was facing the afternoon slump, and I better get up and do something. Headed to the kitchen to gather ingredients and start dinner prep, and Miss 1 woke up. Ah, timing.

2:45 ~ She was a pitiful little thing, so I sat down to rock her and she fell asleep. Ah, well. It could be worse than rocking a sleepy toddler mid-afternoon.

3:15 ~ Phone rang and no way was I interrupting this sleepy magic, so I listened in horror to my mom on the answering machine as she announced they were at my grandparents and wanted to come check progress on the way home. Horror? Only because my house is a disaster!

3:20 ~ Big kids walk in the door; I’m still “trapped” by a sleeping baby. Phone rings again. Grandma, again. Miss 10 tells her they can come (my aunt and grandparents, too!) IF they don’t look at any part of the house but the basement. Ha! That child is MINE, I tell ya!

Miss 1 woke up, a friend stopped by with some (pretty!) outgrown boots (for me! yay for growing junior high girls!), and we scrambled to clean up a bit for company.

4:00 ~ Company arrived, and we took a tour of the basement progress. Last time they were here, they walked down the dirt ramp to see… more dirt.

4:55 ~ Company left, and all of a sudden it’s dinner time and I have no dinner. Lance grabbed hamburger from the freezer, I thawed it in hot water, and skillet spaghetti (with side salad for mom and dad, carrots and ranch for kids, apples for all) saved the day by 5:40.

We all sat down to eat, and finished up by 6:15. I tossed the littles in the bath, and the bigs and I got ready for religion class. I teach the first confession/communion class this year.

6:45-7:45 ~ Class

7:45 ~ Impromptu scheduling meeting for the last classes and sacraments.

8:20 ~ Finally got home. Kids did the jammies and teeth routine. I doled out Vitamin D drops and shooed everyone to bed. Mr. 3 protested that he “Didn’t have my oils yet!” so we put Thieves on his feet and got the diffuser set up with lavender in the boys’ room. Whatever works for ya, buddy. Now, go to sleep! 😉

8:45 ~ I faced my messy kitchen and started some lazy granola, a must have for crazy mornings. The bake time is only 10 minutes, so I challenged myself to get the dishes done and kitchen cleaned in that amount of time. So close!

If my entire home was as organized as my dishwasher, we’d be good to go!

9:30 ~ I rocked Miss 1 (yes, she was still up) to sleep while Lance took his shower, finished up some VA work, then took my bath.

10:45 ~ We spent some time catching up on the day (in the quiet, dark house!) and headed to bed.

***This day was a perfect example of the Cha-Cha. I was (mostly) busy. Got a lot done, but… didn’t. You know?! I’m reading through Say Goodbye to Survival Mode (at bath time) and am determined to face where I’m going wrong and get this ship to steer straight. ish.***

So. How was your day? Who wants to link up your own day every month? I’m happy to host!

Your littles are so funny. I have to say I’d have a hard time being unforgiving to her smile and sweet face! I think she looks just like your oldest daughter. LOL Mr. 3 stealing your hashbrowns, so funny. I think that’s one of the highlights of my day- and the big smile to match as if to say “I’ll just take a little bite Mama” too cute.

hi amy,
i’m usually drawn to your ditl posts and i’m just starting a blog myself.
i’m interested in trying it out too. i am a Christian, married, and have 2 boys. I work outside my home full time and have long days too. life is hectic but fun. I often feel like i do a lot and get nothing done at the same time. i’m trying to change that and i’m always looking for ways to improve, for my family’s sake and sanity. 🙂

Oh I can’t wait to see that basement! And that closet . . . I’d love a closet like that, too.

Why why why do kids always want Mama’s food? You can put food on their plate and they’re “just not that hungry” but when you sit down at the computer to enjoy the exact same thing, they think they have to have bites!

I absolutely love these posts. It helps me realize that while I feel like I accomplish nothing during the day, I am not the only one. My days look so much like yours, I have 3 under 4 so its a constant try to clean something until someone needs me, then of course I can’t remember what I was doing before I had to stop. Every room in my house gets partially clean these days, and I’m good with that.

Oh Amy…I LOVE reading this posts, You know me so you know what I mean when I say this…I read this Day posts and don’t feel so bad…If a Stay at home mom has this kind of WILD days, then its totally Okay that my house isn’t a perfect house either with a working mom…

I love these posts too (and would love to do a link up!!). Don’t change too much on us after reading that book. You my friend, are as real as it gets and it is absolutely refreshing an encouraging to see!!!!!!!!!

I love that I can read this blog and not feel like less of a mom or homemaker or wife. I don’t have to add anything to my to-do list, like “start a successful business” or “take stellar pictures of really good food I cooked” or “coordinate my kids’ outfits for the day, using clothes I bought on super sale with coupons, rebates, and cash-back” or “home-school my child with adorable printables that I designed myself.”

Just go love my children in the middle of my normal, slightly-messy life.